Yesh Atid’s Lipman: Giving Up Settlements Will Hurt

MK says love of the land of Israel can go hand-in-hand with support for Israeli withdrawals, PA state.

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Maayana Miskin, 11/06/13 17:44

MK Lipman addresses Knesset

Israel news photo: Flash 90

Love for the entire land of Israel can go hand-in-hand with support for Israeli withdrawals and the creation of an Arab state in Judea and Samaria, says MK Dov Lipman of the Yesh Atid party.

MK Lipman spoke Tuesday at the first meeting in this Knesset session of the Land of Israel Lobby.

“I came to the Land of Israel Lobby meeting today because it’s very important for Members of Knesset who support the ‘two states for two peoples’ plan to say in a loud, clear voice that we love the entire land of Israel,” he declared.

“Of course we need to build and support the settlement blocs, of course Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish nation, and of course any concession of even the smallest piece of the land of Israel will pain me greatly,” he continued.

Lipman recalled a visit he made to Hevron last week as part of a tour organized by MK Orit Struk (Bayit Yehudi). “There, under the stones of the Tomb of the Patriarchs my love of Israel grew even stronger,” he said.

“So did [my recognition of] the reality there, which we cannot ignore,” he added.

A poll conducted by the Rafi Smit institute on behalf of the Land of Israel Lobby found that 85% of Israelis who voted for Zionist parties say Israel should not give in to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ demand that Israel release terrorist prisoners as a precondition to negotiations.